Lost and Found
by jayer
Summary: The one thing Jordi has wanted all his life has slipped from his grasp again. Or has it? Post There's No Place Like Homecoming.
1. Chapter 1

"Knock knock." Leo leaned around the door frame.

"Yo, dude, how'd it go" Dash looked up from his video game.

Leo plopped into a chair. "Overall, I think it was a disaster."

"It was a dance. What could go wrong?"

"I think it was the part where I called Kara a bitch in front of her whole school."

"You what?"

"I called her a bitch. And a dictator. And a basically horrible person. And she kissed me."

"Tell me Emma didn't. Of course she saw it." Dash shook his head.

"And now she hates me." Leo sighed. "Maybe she's right and we should just be friends."

"That's depressing, dude. And after all that work I did."

"Work?"

"Yeah. I got the 411 on Jordi at the movies. He's not into Emma."

"The movies? You two went to the movies?"

"Yeah. His mom gave us the cash."

"Dr McAndrews was okay with that?"

"I guess. I mean why would she let him go if the doc wasn't cool with it."

"What'd ya see?"

"We went to see the new Transformers. Jordi thinks the daughter is a hottie."

"Nice. Was it as cheesy as the other ones?"

"Don't know. We didn't actually get to see the movie cause Jordi got sick."

Leo sat up. "How sick? What happened?"

"We were walking to the theater and he got all dizzy and blacked out. Just said he felt funny and KO'd right in the lobby. Manager called 911 and everything."

"Shit."

"He was pretty messed up when I left your room. Puking his guts up. And all sweaty and stuff."

"That's bad. Most kids don't get sick until their second or third treatment. You puke on the first one and it's gonna be harsh the whole trip."

"Nurse Jackson was with him. And his mom."

Leo nodded. "Cool. I don't mean cool that he's sick but cool that his mom is taking care of him."

"If she sticks around."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Something Jordi said. Just don't think he believes she's legit. That she won't dump him again."

"Bed time you two." A nurse wandered past.

"Catch ya in class."

"Cool. I wanna hear about all the hotties and their short little dresses and all that."

Leo laughed as he left.

The light was on in their room and Leo could see that Jordi's bed was empty. For a moment, he panicked, thinking perhaps something had happened. Maybe Jordi was sicker than Dash thought. Then he saw Jordi standing by the window.


	2. Chapter 2

Leo snapped awake. Something had woken him up but there was no noise, the lights were off. He looked at his watch, 2:17 am. He didn't remember having a bad dream. But something wasn't right.

Then he heard it. The unmistakable, hideously painful sound of dry heaves. Leo sat up and looked over at the other bed. Empty. He grabbed his crutch and hobbled over to the half closed bathroom door.

He gently pushed the door open.

"You're a mess." Leo grabbed a towel and soaked it in cold water. He carefully lowered himself next to Jordi who was sitting against the wall. Jordi's face was flushed and sweaty. His shirt was soaked in sweat and vomit.

"Let's get this off."

Jordi swatted his hands away. "It's gross."

"That's why we need to get it off." Leo tried again. "It's just vomit. Okay. I mean I puked on myself plenty of times. So not a big deal."

Leo tossed the shirt in the sink. He handed Jordi the towel to wipe off his face and hands.

"My mom's gone." Jordi said softly, his voice choking.

Leo sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I never should have let her stay. I was stupid. She never sticks around." Jordi sobbed. "She never wanted me. She'd probably be glad if I died."

"Don't say that, Jordi. She loves you. I mean she's your mom."

"No she doesn't. If she loved me she wouldn't leave me all the time."

With the words, a flood gate opened. Leo pulled Jordi into a hug and let him sob. He could feel Jordi shaking. He started to feel really pissed. As much as Leo was annoyed by the hovering parents and all their angst, at least they cared. At least they came around. Doctors could tell them they had to keep a brave face cause getting worked up and anxious was bad for sick kids. Jordi's mom really did a number on him, and Leo wished she'd come back so he could tell her how nasty that was.

He wanted to say something but what could he say. So he just sat there. He sat there letting his friend cry. He sat there wishing there was something he could say that would make Jordi feel better.

Eventually the shaking stopped. Jordi dried his face with his shirt sleeve and sighed.

"Sorry."

"Don't be." Leo smiled. "It's been a rough couple of days. And chemo's hell. I did it, remember."

"yeah. thanks."

"Sure. Feel free to lose it in front of me any time. I won't judge."

"Don't tell Dr McAndrew okay. Or Nurse Jackson."

"Hey," a voice startled them. "What's going on?"

Leo stood up as Nurse Gomez came into the room. "Jordi was throwing up."

"You're supposed to call a nurse." The tone was firm but not mean. Leo knew he wasn't really in trouble.

"I was just about to." Leo slipped out of the bathroom and let the nurse help Jordi back to bed. A few quick notes and the nurse disappeared.

"Leo." Jordi whispered. "Would you? Just until I fall asleep."

Leo perched on the side of the bed. "Anytime."


	3. Chapter 3

"Good Morning."

"Morning, Doc." Kenji yawned.

"Long night?"

"Unfortunately." Kenji nodded, holding out a folder. "Your boy had a pair of encores."

"When?" McAndrew flipped open the file, scanning the notes.

"About 2:15 and 5:00."

"Leo found him the first time?"

"Yep. In the bathroom, puking his guts out. Second time, Jordi didn't even make it out of bed. Dry heaves for a good half hour. Fever that time." Kenji shook his head. "That boy is going to have it rough."

"You have no idea." McAndrew half muttered.

"Oh and he refused breakfast. Can't say I blame him but."

"I'll talk to him before rounds."

McAndrew headed down the corridor. As he turned the corner, he spotted Nurse Jackson walking into the cantina.

"Jackson, Hey. Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Actually I've been looking for you. I wanted to apologize, I was wrong about Eva."

He sighed. How he wished she had been wrong. But she had in fact been very right, which is why he wanted to be sure she heard about it from him and not some rumor mill chatter.

"Don't give me that look, even I make mistakes."

"Not this time." He pulled out the papers the assistant from the legal department had given him and handed them to Jackson. "Eva left last night."

"What's this?"

"She's relinquishing guardianship of Jordi. He's officially on his way to becoming an emancipated minor."

"That's just a fancy word for alone."

"So I'm the one that needs to apologize to you. I'm sorry for not trusting your instincts."

"We both want the same thing. What's best for Jordi."

"I guess he's ours now."

"He was ours the second he walked through that door."

It was a quick walk down the hallway, only stopping briefly to put his bag in his locker and retrieve his lab coat, stethoscope and such.

McAndrew was surprised to find Leo sitting in a wheelchair outside of his own room. He was reading a book, making the occasional note in a notebook sitting on his lap.

"Morning, Leo."

"Morning. Dr McAndrew."

"You're up bright and early. Getting some homework done?"

"Yeah."

"Wouldn't that be easier in your room?"

"Jordi's sleeping. He had a bad night."

"I heard. I was just coming to check on him."

"Before you do. There's something you should know."

"Yes."

"He didn't want me to tell you, but Jordi was crying last night."

"Crying?"

"When I got back to the room last night, Jordi was watching something outside. He looked upset. He didn't say anything and I didn't ask. But later, when I found him in the bathroom, he started talking about his mom was gone and she doesn't love him and doesn't want him.

"I think that's what he saw. I think he saw her leave and I don't think it's the first time. That's why he thinks she's not coming back."

"Unfortunately he's right. Thank you for telling me."

"Don't tell him that I told you."

McAndrew drew his fingers across his mouth and made a flicking gesture. He quietly walked in the room and over to Jordi's bed. He gently lifted up Jordi's wrist to take his pulse. The boy stirred awake.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up."

Jordi shrugged.

"How are you feeling?"

"You know that old trick kids would do where they would put dog poop in a bag and set it on fire."

"Dump it on some old geezers door step and watch him stomp it out?"

"I feel like the dog poop. After the stomping."

"That good." He brushed a lock of damp hair off the boy's forehead.

"Is it going to be like this the whole time?"

"I wish I could say no, but it might."

"Thanks for the honesty."

"You're welcome. I need you to do something for me, okay."

"Sure."

"I need you to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"I know you're not. And I know that your stomach probably feels like hell and the thought of eating just makes me think you will vomit again. But I need you to try. You have to keep your strength up. You have to keep your fluids up. You'll feel worse, way worse, if you don't.

"I don't care what you eat, within reason. If you want to eat oatmeal, or dry toast or mashed potatoes or even rainbow sherbet all day, I don't care. As long as you're eating something. Otherwise I have to have them put you on a feeding tube and having actually done it myself, I can tell you that it's not fun."

There was a noticeable silence as Jordi seemed to consider the request.

"Can I have scrambled eggs? I think I could eat scrambled eggs."

"You can totally have scrambled eggs." McAndrew smiled. "I have to get to rounds but I'll come by and check on you later."

"I know she's gone." Jordi's words stopped him at the door. "I saw her leave. I saw you try to stop her."

"I'm sorry I couldn't."

"It's okay. She is the way she is. I wanted to believe she could change. She can't. Oh well."

McAndrew stood in the doorway for a long moment, watching Jordi drift back to sleep.

Oh well.


	4. Chapter 4

"I can go on my own. You don't have to take me."

"Actually I do. It's part of my job. Besides, it's nice to get out of the pediatric wing from time to time."

"Have you always been a kid's nurse?"

"I started in the ER."

"Why the switch?" There was a silence that lingered just a moment too long. "Nevermind. I shouldn't be asking questions."

"Her name was Elizabeth. She was 15. Out riding her bicycle when she was hit by a car that ran a red light. When they brought her in, it was gruesome.

"We did what we do in the ER. We stabilized her, got her ready to go up to surgery. I still remember the surgeon. New guy. Attending. Scuttlebutt around the nurses was that he was some kind of genius. Went to med school at Johns Hopkins. Chief resident, for a doctor that's major. Pediatric surgery fellow, won an award or two. Kind of doctor hospitals trip over to snag. And the kind of doctor that tends to be a royal snot and makes the nurses lives miserable."

"Afternoon, Dena." A male nurse greeted them as they entered the treatment room.

"Sam."

"It's set up at the end." The nurse nodded. "I'll be there in a minute."

"I've got it."

Jordi wrinkled his nose at the IV, the bag of drugs waiting for him. "So what happened?" He asked as he sat down and pushed up his sleeve.

Jackson reached for the IV kit, ignoring how Jordi looked away to avoid seeing the needle. "She made it through the surgery. New doc actually called down to leave me a message. Something most surgeons don't do. If we want to know we have to look up the records. After my shift I went up the surgical ICU to see her. She was comatose but stable. I sat with her for a while, talked to her, read to her."

"Where were her parents?"

"Family wasn't allowed in the SICU. I got away with it because she was there for observation and I observing her. I went back every chance I could until she woke up, even after she woke up I still went and checked on her at least once every shift. I guess I needed to see for myself.

"One day I bumped into Dr Scuttlebutt in the hall. I don't remember the whole conversation but I do remember that he said I was wasting my talents in the ER. I clearly cared about the kids that came into the hospital and I should be in pediatrics helping those kids get better not just slapping bandaids on them and hoping for the best. It took a couple of months but he finally wore me down and I took over as a charge nurse. And I would never tell him this but he was right."

Jordi smiled. "You aren't as mean as people say."

"Don't let that get out. Nurse Jackson has a reputation to protect." Leo hobbled over.

"Mr Roth, I do believe you are supposed to be at physical therapy right now."

"I told them I wasn't feeling well."

"Then you should be in your room in bed. Lying to get out of PT is not cool."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I couldn't concentrate. I just kept thinking about Jordi, sitting here all alone. No one to talk to, nothing to do. I checked, there are no local games today and no decent movies. It's all depressing news reports about bombings, riots and ebola. That's the ticket for a kid with cancer."

"All right, all right." Jackson threw up her hands. "You can stay. If Jordi wants you to stay. THIS time. But you are not skipping therapy. I'll have it rescheduled."

Leo looked over at Jordi. "Want some company? I bought a deck of cards."

"Yeah. Okay."

Jackson left the two of them to their game. "Sam. Page me when he's done. I'll come get him myself."

"You don't have. I can make sure he gets back to his room."

"Page me."

For Jackson, the time went by quickly. Call to the physical therapy center to reschedule Leo's workout. And to leave stern instructions if he tried to play sick again to page her. Supervising Brittany doing Emma's weigh in to ensure the teenager didn't try to cheat. A quick walking lunch. Handling the paperwork to admit an ER patient with epilepsy for observation. She was in Charlie's room, checking his vitals when the text came that Jordi would be done in a few minutes.

"Any trouble?"

"Not really. Kid's a trooper."

"Good." Jackson nodded. "Okay Leo, PT now. They're expecting you. And they have been warned that you better have a fever or just puked on someone if you are going to claim you're sick."

"So much for that soft spot"

"Get." Jackson laughed to herself.

"Thanks for letting him stay." Jordi let the nurse help him into the wheelchair. He was already looking slightly pale and his arms and legs were shaking.

"I suppose you'd like him to stay every day."

"Could he?"

"I'll have to see about rearranging some things and Dr McAndrew has to okay it."

"Thanks."

Jordi was quiet during the trip back to his room. He barely opened his eyes as Jackson helped him into bed.

"Fever came fast this time." She wiped his face off with a damp towel.

"What ever happened to Elizabeth?" Jordi whispered. "She's okay, right?"

"She'll never walk again. But yes she's okay. She's in college. Brown. She's majoring in English literature."

"Cool. I wanna do music. If I go to college."

"You will."

"Was it Dr McAndew?

"Was what Dr McAndrew?" The doctor slipped into the room.

"Nothing." Jackson gave Jordi a look that said to say nothing.

"How bad do you feel? On a scale of 1 to Burning Dog Poop?" McAndrew caught the look from Jackson. "Private joke."

"Not stomped. Not yet."

"Good. Maybe it'll stay that way."

"Dr McAndrew?"

"Yeah, Jordi."

"Can Leo stay with me while I do my chemo?"

"I know you won't let me say no so I'll consider it. But I need to talk to Nurse Jackson about it first."

"Okay."

"Good." He gave Jordi's fist a light bump. "I have to finish my rounds. Try to get some sleep. I'll come by later."

"I'll be right back, Jordi." Jackson followed McAndrew out of the room.

"I don't want him left alone until his fever breaks."

"I wasn't planning to leave. I'll stay all night." Jackson grabbed a stack of towels off the supply rack.

"Hopefully it won't be that long. If it goes more than an hour page me. We'll evaluate."

"Do you want me to start an IV?"

"I'd rather not poke him full of holes if we don't have to. But I trust your instincts. Like I trust them to make the right call about this Leo thing. Just let me know what the plan is."

Jackson nodded. "Thank you."

"I try not to make the same mistake twice. Especially when dealing with a pit bull."

"And don't you forget it."

"Like you'd let me." McAndrew muttered to himself as he walked away.


	5. Chapter 5

"Dr McAndrew."

"Ms Dobler. How are you doing this evening?"

"Fine."

"What can I do for you?"

Brittney held out an envelope. "This came for you."

The return address was East Coast. Curious, he opened it and pulled out a letter with a photo.

"Good news?"

"Yes. Former patient. She writes every year to tell me how she's doing."

"That's nice."

"Yes it is. And just the thing I needed after today." He slipped the letter and photo back into the envelope. "Toss that back in my box would you? I don't want to lose it."

"Sure."

"I got your page." McAndrew whispered as he entered the room. "Thank you."

Jackson was sitting by the bed, holding Jordi's hand. "He finally fell asleep a few minutes ago."

"Good. Hopefully he'll stay asleep."

Jackson carefully slipped her hand out of Jordi's and started cleaning up the mess of towels and such.

"I got a letter from Elizabeth Simmons today. It's in my box if you want to read it."

"Thanks."

McAndrew spotted a slip of paper peeking out from under the bed.

"What's that?" Jackson noticed him picking up the slip.

"Jordi's movie ticket."

"Pity they didn't get to see it. Last bit of fun he'll have for a while."

"Yeah. Pity. Good night, Jackson."

"Good night, doctor."


	6. Chapter 6

The house was still and quiet. Too quiet really. Adam hated coming home to the empty house. Their house. That had been the plan. They were going to work at the hospital together, live in their beautiful house by the ocean. Mornings jogging on the beach. Sundays going to the farmer's market to buy fresh vegetables. No more freezing winters in Maryland. It was a perfect plan. And it had fallen so utterly apart.

What was it he had told Brittney Dobler. Keep busy and forget about him. Nice thought that didn't really work. Adam had the last two years to prove that. Work wasn't enough, casual dating wasn't enough. Hell he'd finally gotten up the guts to have a thoroughly irresponsible one night stand and that had been a real winner. Who else would pick the not so dead mother of one of his patients to have random half drunken sex with.

"And then your great plan to get her to stick around." Adam scoffed at himself in the mirror. "That was a real winner."

Too wired to sleep, Adam plopped down on the sofa to watch some television. But nothing could keep his interest. His thoughts kept drifting back to Jordi. He knew he shouldn't let himself get attached to a patient. He knew he should stay clinical, logical, distant. Doctors were supposed to be clear headed. He had pushed Jordi to let his mother stay without any arguments because it was the logical thing to do. They needed her permission to continue to treat him and there were studies, dozens of studies, that long term patients do better with family around. Especially children.

Oh who was he kidding. He hadn't been detached from Jordi for a single moment. His whole decision to treat the kid was based not on logic but emotion. He had taken one look at this 15 year old boy who ran away from home to find someone that would help him. He was scared and alone even if he'd kept up a super poker face to appear otherwise. If there was such a thing as a truly lost soul, Jordi Palacios might be the poster child. Jackson was right, Jordi had been theirs the moment he walked in the hospital. Adam had tried to deny it, and basically broken a kid's heart in the process. Because Jackson was also right about something else. He had been thinking with "Little McAndrew" for a moment. Not that he would have ever had sex with Eva Palacios again, but he had checked her out more than once.

Adam turned off the tv, hit the shower and climbed into bed. Still he couldn't sleep. He couldn't still the thoughts in his head. He padded into the living room and flipped open his laptop. If he couldn't sleep he could catch up on his Facebook. He was really terrible at it. He never had anything to post since he had no life and couldn't talk about his patients. He'd go days, even weeks without bothering to look at it. He couldn't even remember why he bothered to sign up in the first place.

Scrolling through page after page of stupid meme photos and such, one photo caught his eye. He had an idea. It was a long shot but so was Jordi coming 1600 miles to ask a total stranger to help save his life. And Adam was going to do anything and everything to make that plan turn out right in the end.


	7. Chapter 7

"Dude, no way. Superman can fly, he's got X-ray vision and laser eyes. He is way cooler than Batman."

"Superman is that way cause he was born that way. Batman had to make himself into a superhero. That's way harder and way cooler."

"Jordi, what you say. Superman or Batman, who's the more awesome superhero?

"I'm more of an X Men and Avengers kind of guy."

"That's Black Widow right?"

"Yeah."

Dash whistled. "That girl is smoking."

"Truth." Leo laughed.

"You two are revolting. Way to be sexist pigs." Emma rolled her eyes at the two boys lounging on the sofa.

"Sorry, Emma."

"Yeah, sorry."

"Take a chill pill, Skeletora." Kara shoved past Emma. She plopped down on Leo's bed like a cat.

"Hey, Emma."

"Hey Jordi."

"How was your visit with your parents?"

Emma curled herself into the chair by Jordi's bed. "Wonderful. Thank you for asking. How was chemo?"

"Fantastic."

"Really? Cause your face is the color of — well something gross."

"KARA!" Dash, Emma and Leo all chimed in.

"What. I thought that was the point. He's all gross and drugged up nasty feeling and we're supposed to hang out in your cheeseball room cause he can't get his scrawny ass out of bed and actually do something fun."

"He has a name. It's Jordi."

"Whatever, Leo." Kara rolled her eyes and started playing with her phone. "No one said I have to act like I care about him."

"Hey Kara." Jordi grinned.

"What." Kara snapped.

"Don't ever change." Jordi's laughter turned into coughing.

"You better not hork on me."

Emma handed Jordi the cup of water from his bedside table.

"Thanks." Jordi nodded. "I'm good."

"Hey," Dash held out his ps3. "Your turn J-Man."

"I'll pass. Not feeling in my game prime."

"This is major lame. I mean you don't even have a tv. You would think if a kid is going to be stuck in bed all the time they would give him a tv. And like some blu-rays."

"Yeah, that would be nice."

"Even going to that lame ass hospital school is better than being stuck with no tv. And like you're so poor you don't even have a cell phone do you?

"I have a cell phone. Just everyone I would call is here at the hospital"

"You are totally a loser. But at least you don't fart all the time."

"Fart?"

"They stuck me in a room with Charlie the Coma Boy, which should be against some rule about boys and girls being in a room together. But I guess since he can't see it really doesn't matter. Except he constantly farts. And not little farts, I mean big nasty Chernobyl toxic farts. And just when one is about to go away, here comes another one."

"That is nasty."

"Try smelling them."

"What's going on in here?"

"Nurse Dobler." Leo smiled warmly. "We were just hanging out."

"Leo. Have you forgotten that your roommate is in the middle of chemo. He's supposed to be resting."

"Look, Jordi's in his bed. He's resting." Kara jumped up. "Where is the law that says he can't have company while he rests."

"He should be sleeping."

"Well maybe he's not sleepy. If he was he'd say so and we'd all leave. Red Band Code."

"What does that mean?"

"Red Band Code?"

"Yes. What is that?"

"It's something you'll never understand because you're not a patient. I bet you've never been really sick in your life. Stuck in bed, can't do a thing sick. You're such a Suzy Sunshine you probably don't even get cramps.

"Red Band Code means when you've got a friend who is that sick you don't let him sit in his room alone, bored and miserable. Even if you have to break some lame ass rule to do it."

Kara sat back down on the bed. "You want us to leave, you'll have to drag us out. And you better be real good at knot tying cause you'll have to tie us to our beds to keep us from coming right back."

Kara glared at the nurse. Her expression was one that demanded that no one contradict her.

"We'll see about that."


	8. Chapter 8

"I got a text there was a situation. Said to get here right away."

"Sorry to interrupt your day off, Doctor."

"Jackson, what's going on? Did Charlie wake up? Did something happen with Jordi?"

"Nothing like that, more like a minor revolution."

"What?"

Jackson quickly filled him in on the swamp riot.

"And they're all refusing to leave."

"Yep."

"How's Jordi?"

"Fine. His temperature is up a bit, but his pulse is steady and he has been keeping down fluids."

"So there's no real danger in letting them stay?"

"There's a danger in letting them get away with being brats. If I had thought Leo would go this far I never have agreed to their request."

"Come on, Jackson. Jordi's alone. Really alone now that Eva signed those legal papers. That's not good for any patient of anything. And giving a damn about another person, letting someone past all his walls, isn't that why we wanted Leo to have a roommate. It's not just Jordi at stake here."

"So we do nothing. We just let them do whatever they want."

"What do your instincts say?"

"My instincts say they are acting like children, not patients. And we should treat them like children."

"So we punish them. Put them all in a time out. Even if it means Jordi gets hurt, just a little. Is that really what your instincts are telling you."

Jackson sighed. "Maybe it could be a little good. But they should have asked first."

"Yes they should have."

"So how do we handle this?"

"I think maybe I should do it. Jordi listens to me and I think he can get the others to listen. Leo will at least listen to him and the others will listen to Leo."

"What are you going to do?"

"I haven't made up my mind."

McAndrew walked into the room, a stern expression on his face. He was mildly amused to see the four rebels sitting locked arm on the floor. Clearly a move to make dragging them anywhere more difficult.

"You four stay right there."

"It was my idea." Jordi said as the doctor pulled his stethoscope from around his neck.

"Sit up for me."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Take a deep breath." McAndrew moved the stethoscope over. "Again. Good. You can lay back."

"We weren't doing anything."

"Don't talk." After a moment he pulled the stethoscope away and jotted down some notes. "How much water have you had this afternoon?"

"Three, maybe four cups."

"Lunch?"

"Some baked chicken and mashed potatoes."

"Did you eat all of it?"

"Maybe half."

"And did you keep it down?"

"Not really."

"And the rest of it. On the scale."

"Somewhere between the scooper and the bag."

McAndrew perched on the edge of the bed. "Look Jordi. I get it. This whole thing sucks. It sucks that you're sick, it sucks that you're here alone. It sucks that your mother"

"Sucks at being a mother."

"Yeah, basically. You're an awesome kid, you all are. You should be out there having awesome lives. But that's not how things are. You're here and this is what we have to work with. You came to me for help and I'm trying to help you. I don't like having to be the bad guy."

"Isn't that Nurse Jackson's job?"

"Don't be a smart ass."

"Sorry."

McAndrew nodded. He stood up and turned to the others. "You three, back to your rooms." He caught them looking at Jordi before they stood up.

"Wait. Come back here. I have a question. And I would like an honest answer."

"Yes, sir."

"The red wristbands. The hospital hasn't used those in months. In fact I only know one person in this room that was around when we used them and has been here long enough to have six of them.

"If Leo is giving all of you, and Charlie, those wristbands it must mean something. Something important. What is it?"

There was a silence.

"Okay, fine. Don't tell me. You can go."

"It's like in the play." Leo spoke up.

"The play?"

"Henry the fifth." Emma chimed in. "We few, we happy few. We band of brothers"

"For he who fights with me today, something something about being brothers for the rest of their lives whether they were born peasants or noblemen." McAndrew cut her off. "We studied it in high school. I had to memorize the whole speech but I don't remember the words.

"So that's the Red Band Code. All this crap you're all going through is your battlefield and you stand united, have each others banks, help each other fight it."

"Something like that."

"That is kind of cool." McAndrew smiled. "Cool enough that it earns you a chance."

"A chance? A chance for what?"

"Well Kara, a chance to prove to me that you are all young adults and not bratty children. A chance to prove to me that we can trust you. But this chance is going to come with some ground rules. Break them and its game over, no second chances."

"What rules?"

"First. Kara apologizes to Nurse Dobler for being rude and none of you ever does something like that again.

"Second. No one cuts class or ditches their own treatments. Ever.

"Third. ONE person can, if Jordi would like, sit with him during his chemo. But only if the second rule is satisfied and Nurse Jackson approves. And she'll be talking to your teachers, you fall behind and its a no go.

Fourth. Jordi you have to promise me you'll be totally honest about how you feel. Dizzy, nauseous, cold sweats. Anything at all, you have to speak up. And the rest of you have to promise me that you'll call the nurses and clear out. I'm willing to let you try this because you can be our eyes and ears, but if you won't do it then it won't work.

Fifth. Jordi gets tired you clear out. 8pm you clear out."

"8pm? We're teenagers, not toddlers."

"8. Prove to me that this isn't a total disaster and I'll consider a later time. Now, lets see a show of hands. Whose willing to play by the rules."

Five red wristbands were in the arm without a thought.

"Good." McAndrew leaned out the doorway. "Nurse Dobler, could you come here for a moment?"

"Yes. Doctor."

"Kara has something to say to you."

"I'm sorry I was rude to you. I promise it won't happen again."

"Apology accepted."

"You know she won't keep that promise." Jackson spoke up from behind him after Brittany had left.

"Probably not. But it was kind of fun making her do it." He turned around to find an orderly waiting with an old AV cart. "What's this?"

"My gut told me you weren't going to bust their chops. And the DVD fell out of your bag. The boys don't have a tv so I borrowed this one from the playroom."

"Hey Jordi, you still want to see that new Transformers movie."

"Yeah. But I can't."

"Funny thing about living in LA is that sometimes you have friends that can get you the coolest things."

"You mean?"

"I was going to give it to you to watch during your chemo. But why not watch it now. If you want."

"Oh he wants, please say you want to."

"Bring it on." Jordi laughed. "Can we have popcorn?"

"I'll see what I can do."

He waited about an hour before peeking through the window.

"You were wrong." McAndrew said over his shoulder.

"About?"

"When I told you about Eva leaving, you said being emancipated was just a fancy word for being alone.

"But take a good look." McAndrew nodded at Jordi curled up on the sofa, Emma curled up in a chair next to him, the others on the floor at their feet. All of them smiling, laughing. "Jordi's not alone."

"No he's not." Jackson smiled. "He's finally got the one thing that'll keep him fighting. A family that wants him. That is a beautiful thing."

"Jackson, you softie."

"Shut up."


End file.
